Questions for Homeowners

When you meet with a customer, they likely have a bunch of questions for you, but do you ever have questions for homeowners? Asking questions can help you better allocate your time by making sure every job you take on is a good fit for your business.  Here are some examples of good questions for homeowners to make sure you’re going to work well together.

• What Are You Looking for in a Contractor?
• What Are Your Expectations for Communication?
• What’s Your Budget?
• Are There Any Concerns You Have?
• Can You Share Project Inspirations?
• Are You Interested in Financing?

What Are You Looking for in a Contractor?

Making sure that you’re meeting, or even exceeding the expectations of customers helps ensure a great experience. However, depending on the homeowner, it may be difficult or even impossible for you to meet everything they expect. For example, maybe they’re wanting something that you don’t specialize in or aren’t able to do. Some homeowners may place more value on speed rather than quality, that may help you know if you are a good fit, or even if one crew may be better for them over another.

What Are Your Expectations for Communication?

Every customer is different in how they would like updates from their contractor. You should both agree on how often you’ll be in touch and what would be the best way to reach them. For example, a customer may want you to reach out via email for standard updates and only call if there’s an emergency. Being on the same page early can help keep the working relationship in a good place.

What’s Your Budget?

Understanding what a person is planning to spend can help you in two ways. First, it can help you determine the quality of materials that will be available to the homeowners. Second, you can help tamper expectations, especially with rising costs.

Are There Any Concerns You Have?

If the customer has never gone through a renovation or it’s been a while, they may have worries about undergoing a large-scale project. Finding out what their concerns are beforehand, and being able to address those concerns based on your experience can help put the homeowner at ease.

Can You Share Project Inspiration?

Having a better idea of what the customer is envisioning can help you create a more accurate bid and help you create reasonable expectations. Take notes of these ideas and even ask if the customer is willing to email you any photos so you have them on hand.

Are You Interested in Financing?

55% of home improvement projects are financed in some way*, so it’s likely that’s how your customer is paying. However, they may not have pinned down on where that financing is coming from. This provides you with a great opportunity to become the solution to their problem by offering in-house financing. Not offering your own financing? Regions | EnerBank can help. Fill out the form on this page for more information.

BONUS: Once the Project is Complete

If you move forward with project, it can also be beneficial for you to have additional questions for homeowners at the end so you can gain a better understanding of their experience. This can include:

1. How do you feel the project went?
2. What would you change about the process?
3. Are you planning on additional work in the future?
4. Would you please leave us a review?

This can help you identify where your business can improve and build up your online reviews – which can give your business a BIG boost.

^*HIRI TFG Monthly report, released October 2023